"Actions to Enhance Global Security"

Distinguished Participants:

I would like to underline that the United Nations Office at Geneva will co-host a major conference with the World Academy of Art and Science on 3 June entitled “Opportunities and Challenges for the 21st Century – Need for a New Paradigm”.

As Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament, I am concerned and disappointed by its stalemate. But in the meantime, I remain optimistic. The deadlock is a reality but the CD is not dead: talks are going on and I have, on many occasions, urged Member States to find a solution.

Like-minded disarmament efforts, such as the Ottawa and Oslo Conventions on Anti-Personnel Landmines and Cluster Munitions, have been real successes. But would they be relevant at the CD? The Open-ended group tried to find solutions and I have encouraged them to find innovative approaches.

There is no doubt that Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones serve a valuable role also in this context. I am proud to have signed, as Foreign Minister of my country, the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia. I am aware of the trust and confidence that is built through the negotiation of such a treaty, which can have positive spill-over effects more generally.

In summits, nobody speaks about disarmament. If leaders do not mention disarmament, it is harder to sensitize public opinion.

We also need to be conscious of and react to evolving and emerging threats, such as cyber security and terrorism. Last month, a fake tweet from a hacked Associated Press twitter account, asserting that President Obama had been injured in an explosion, immediately wiped millions of dollars of the stock markets. Cyber security is extremely important.

Thank you for your attention.